Fire Can't Cry
by AmberSweetOnline
Summary: "Once the thought enters his mind, it slowly eats away at him until the enemy finally wins." Royai also, of course, alittle parental!Roy/Ed.
1. Playing Jenga

Colonel Roy Mustang continued to sift through the mountain of paperwork that was dropped on his desk by his Lieutenants. _Where the hell do I start? _He leaned his head back on the chair, letters swam in front of his vision. His head rolled over to the side so that was staring at Riza Hawkeye. HIS first Lieutenant was organizing more papers for him. _What would I do without her? I'd be lost… _Something tugged at his heart, he couldn't help the thoughts from his heart intruding every time he looked at her.

"Sir?" She asked breaking his train of thought. Riza was staring at him because he was staring at her.

"Oh… I… Ummm… Nothing." Roy stumbled through his defense. Riza shook her head.

"Get to work, sir. It's Friday. You'll want to leave early for the weekend." Riza walked to his desk and added another two dozen papers on top of the mountain that was forming on his desk. Roy had to admit she had a point, he couldn't wait to go home and sleep. Since Hughes had died two months ago Roy had probably slept only a handful of nights without the help of alcohol or medication. He shook the memory of his old friend from his mind and looked at the stack of papers to decide where to start. A bright yellow piece of paper stuck out from the center of the giant mound. _Ah-ah I will start there! _Roy grinned and grabbed the paper and yanked it out not thinking of the possible outcomes of the situation. The notice slid out with ease but as he began to read the top line the stack of papers slid off of his desk and scattered all over the office floor.

"Fuck!" Roy sighed and fell back into his chair with a thud. All his subordinates were staring at him. He contemplated ordering them to retrieve the papers, but he knew that, that wasn't in the least bit fair. After a few minutes he decided to get up and pick them up. One by one he organized them into importance, since they were already laid out for him. He glanced at his the clock. _Three hours until I'm supposed to leave. I can finish this. _Assured he began to sign the notices, reports, research, and permissions while he was on the floor. Hawkeye smiled at him, although his back was facing her. She was forcing back the want to laugh at her superior sprawled out on the floor with sheets of paper fanned out around him, it reminded her of a child. As Roy finished the last paper with 30 minutes to spare, he walked over to Hawkeye's desk to set down the rest of the stack to be filed. He flashed her a huge smiled.

"See what you can do when you put your mind to it?" She said in a voice like she was talking to a child that always misbehaved. Roy laughed.

"Oh be quiet! Occasionally I can get my work done on time." He shot back. Riza got up to put on her jacket and handed him his. "Thanks, what are your plans for the weekend Lieutenant?"

"I have some reading to catch up on and I'll probably take Hayate to the park tomorrow. The weather is suppose to be nice." Roy looked down at the dog, Hayate just looked up at him with big brown eyes and barked. Roy couldn't help but envy the animal. He had it made, lived with a beautiful woman who took care of him and gave him all of the affection he needed. What more could a man want? Mustang began to laugh and leaned against the wall as Hawkeye finished gathering her things. _Oh Maes, if you could see me now, wishing for a wife. I guess its true, you always listen to good advice when it's too late… _Roy's smile turned wistful and cleared his throat.

"Sounds relaxing. Ready to go home?" Mustang asked glad he didn't choke up thinking of what he was missing out on. Riza smiled her rare beautiful smile and nodded. He'd never let it show but her smile affected him in more than one way. The yellow piece of paper that he had pulled out of the stack first still laid on his desk. He had forgotten about it until he was about to close the door and it caught his eye.

"Oh I forgot something. I'll catch up with you." He told Hawkeye, she turned toward the hall.

"Ok, I will be outside on the steps." Roy nodded and walked back in his office to his desk. He picked up the paper and carefully broke the wax seal. The top of the sheet was printed with the Fuehrer's stationary. The bold type at the top made him shiver. Before he reached the end, the paper dropped to the floor.

* * *

A/N: Yay for cliffhangers. Please read on. It does improve. :) R&R

F.Y.I. Surely you know, but just I case all the italicized words are Roy's thoughts.


	2. Crimson Poison

Ch.2

"_Solf J. Kimblee formally "The Crimson Alchemist" has escaped the Central Command Maximum Security Facility. A state of emergency has been issued and action must be taken immediately. Kimblee is considered dangerous and is classified as a human weapon. State Alchemists take precaution. Kimblee is wanted dead or alive." _

_Fuehrer King Bradley

* * *

_____________

Roy's stomach dropped as he bent down to pick up the notice. He was fully aware of what Kimblee was capable of, his mind traveled back to his haunting past. Ishval.

* * *

_8 years ago… _

( It was close to midnight as Roy Mustang and Maes Hughes sat on old weapon crates around a fire in the middle of the fallen Ishvalan city. The air in the already devastated Ishval was stale, the smell of death hung above their heads. Roy looked over at his best friend, he was holding a crumpled picture. Hughes saw him staring and leaned back to look up at the stars. He took a deep breath in, closed his eyes and smiled.

"Her name is Gracia." Maes handed the picture to Roy. Roy took it and looked at the young girl. She had light brown hair and big green eyes, she was smiling and wearing a yellow summer dress. "I'm going to ask her to marry me when I get back. Being here has made me realize I don't ever want to be apart from her." Roy gave Maes the best smile he could and handed him the picture back.

"I'm happy for you man."

"Now it's your turn." Maes laughed half-heartedly.

"Ha. I have bigger and better things to do."

"You mean you don't ever want a woman to come home to every night, to cook you dinner, to have your children?" Maes asked reflecting his own hopes. Roy lowered his eyes to the ground, blood spotted several spots right below his feet. He didn't know if it was the military's or an Ishvalan's.

"You want the truth Hughes?" Roy said darkly. Maes turned and pushed his glasses back up on his nose.

"Don't I always?" Maes smiled to try to lighten a growing tension around them.

"My dreams are to much of a burden for a woman or children." Roy admitted. Maes looked confused.

"Isn't that kind of sexist, Roy?" Roy shook his head.

"That's not what I mean at all. I mean I couldn't possibly bare leaving the woman I love with the burden of worry that I may not come back, or the burden of that I may come back but not completely. The burden of witnessing me dealing with…" He stopped and spread his arms to the surrounding area. "this." Maes looked at the disaster around him.

"Your right. I've already put in a transfer to a boring desk job." Roy looked at him incredulously. He laughed.

"You really must be in love. You'll be married and have to deal with paperwork." Roy half-laughed. Hughes grabbed Roy's shoulder.

"It's almost over buddy. I overheard the Fuehrer talking about sending troops home." He sighed. "It's almost over." He repeated as he uncapped a silver whiskey flask. In their 10 odd years of friendship, Roy had never seen his best friend drink, he wasn't a big drinker himself. Despite the fact when Maes handed him the bottle, he took a giant swig. The alcohol burned all the way down, but Roy decided at that moment, it was the good kind of pain and had drank more than casually ever since. After they traded a few more drinks the silence stretched between them.

"It'll never be over." Roy said suddenly into the dead silence. Maes looked over at him through pained eyes.

"Yeah.. I guess your right." Hughes looked at his picture of Gracia once more then tucked it into his pocket.

"How dare you lie to your dear best friend like that, Mustang." A voice said from behind them. Roy's skin crawled. The voice belonged to Solf Kimblee. "Surely The Roy Mustang, The Flame Alchemist, The soon to be infamous war hero has a gal… or a few." Roy cringed at that last reference, he was no hero. He was sure of that. "What about your instructor's daughter? How many years did you spend together? Something was bound to happen. Did you ever get a peek under that shirt?" Kimblee laughed. Roy instantly felt sick, he flashed back to him and Riza in her room and her showing him all of her secrets on her bare back.

"Riza? We were barely acquaintances. I haven't seen her in years." Roy almost stuttered, just saying her name made his heart ache. After witnessing the alchemy burned into her back by her own father, he felt he couldn't face her squarely. They had spent years together when he was learning under her father and all that time, he never knew. He never knew the emotional and physical pain she was facing on a daily basis. Kimblee brought him back to the present by grabbing the flask from his hand.

"Oh shit, you got the good strong stuff. Your not going to be able to blow stuff up with a hangover?" He laughed. Roy clinched his fist and tried to count to ten, but his blood was boiling. He knocked the flask out of Kimblee's hand and grabbed him by the front of the shirt.

"DO YOU THINK THIS IS A FUCKING GAME?" Roy screamed into the dead air. Kimblee laughed and a sick smile curled onto his face.

"Of course. What do you think this is… Justice?" Roy stared at him in disbelief. He let go of Kimblee's shirt and turned. Kimblee wiped off his shirt and mumbled something. Roy's anger boiled over and he turned and punched him square in the jaw. Kimblee swayed backwards and brought his hand to his lip and wiped the blood that was coming off his lip. He stared at the blood and laughed. "_what a psycho." _Roy thought as he left the scene.

"I'll get you back one day!" Kimblee called after him laughing.)

* * *

After that Kimblee killed some officers and got locked up. Roy never worried about it again. Until now.)

"Is something the matter sir?" Riza stood in the doorway. She had walked back when Roy didn't come out after a few minutes.

"Oh I was just reading this notice about Kimblee." He handed it to her and she read over it.

"Does he have any resentment towards you?"Riza asked honestly. Roy laughed and tried to cover up the dread that was poisoning his mind.

"Who doesn't, Hawkeye?" Riza lowered her eyes.

"Anymore than usual?" She laughed.

"We got in a few arguments, but nothing he would come after me for." He lied. "He's probably long gone by now anyways." Riza stared at him but accepted his lie and turned toward the door. Roy followed and walked Riza home.

* * *

Roy walked in his house and dropped onto the couch. He couldn't remember the last time he had lied to Riza. Even if it was harsh he always told her the truth. He knew he was on Kimblee's list of people to visit and a more recent memory frightened him even more.

* * *

**A/N**: Oh my, a little longer. Kind of a hill hanger, not exactly as exciting as a cliff. J

Please tell me your thoughts good or bad.


	3. Mind Games

(Roy stopped by the security center to gather information on the Freezing Alchemist, Isaac McDougal, who had apparently visited Kimblee when he was running around causing havoc on the streets. It was the first time him and Kimblee had spoken since Ishval. Kimblee was venomous as usual but Roy had changed since Ishval, the Crimson Alchemist scoffed at how easily Colonel Mustang was climbing the ladder of military status and at his absolute refusal to speak of the war. Mustang to Kimblee's disappointment remained unfazed.

"Kimblee," Roy sighed as he tucked papers under his arm. "I'm just here for information, not chit-chat." Kimblee rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling and decided to go for a different, more dangerous angle. Roy saw a sly smile cross his face.

"So I hear the daughter of that old teacher of yours is under you now…" Kimblee raised his eye brows when he saw Mustang visibly tense. "Now is that literally or figuratively?" Kimblee watched the guards look down to hide their laughter from Mustang. Roy's fingers twitched. His alchemy was always in tune with his emotions. "Or maybe it's secretly both," Kimblee continued to walk on thin ice. "military disobedience is a high crime Mustang. Hell I'd do it too though. I wouldn't mind her under me… or on top, whatever she prefers." Roy clinched his fist, his blood boiled sending pulses to his fingertips. He knew he couldn't act on his anger, so he relaxed. Roy turned and waved his hand to motion his men to leave. They followed suit quickly not wanting to witness the rage that was building just under the surface of their superior.

"Thanks for the help." Roy said sarcastically. Kimblee knew he had pressed the right button. When he spoke of Riza Hawkeye, Kimblee saw something in Mustang's eyes that no one else had ever witnessed. Fear.

"Be careful Mustang," Kimblee yelled down the corridor. "I'll steal her right out for under you one day!" Kimblee laughed knowing full well he had added fuel to the fire. )

* * *

Roy jolted up from his bed. Sweat dripped down his forehead onto his bare heaving chest. _"I'll steal her right out from under you one day!" _Roy's mind kept screaming at him. He closed his eyes and laid back down. He rubbed his eyes and looked up at the clock, 8:47, he vaguely remembered dozing off at around 4 a.m. _"Four hours of sleep? How great." _He lifted back up and downed the remaining scotch that was still on his side table from the night before. He slowly got up and walked into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. He hated when his breath smelled like alcohol. His stomach growled, it hit him that it had been a few days since he had eaten a full meal. He was eating less and less and drinking more and more. Maes had always kept him in line and now that he was gone… Roy's thoughts drifted back to his best friend that he couldn't save. The minty taste of the toothpaste suddenly revolted him. His hand flew to his stomach and he emptied all that he had consumed into toilet. He continued to dry heave after all the alcohol left his system and his body trembled as he lifted back off the floor.

"Dammit." He washed his mouth out with water not wanting to chance the toothpaste again. He grabbed an unwashed dress shirt from his hamper and smelled it. He decided it was fine and put it on with a pair of black trousers. He put his scotch glass in the sink and walked out the door to headquarters.

* * *

All the assistants stared at him as he walked to the investigations center. Roy Mustang had never been seen at work on a weekend, especially at 9:30 a.m. out of military attire. Mustang rolled his eyes. _Damn. Do I really come off that lazy? _He thought as he requested Kimblee's entire case and personal file and asked to keep it a secret that he had. The assistant at the desk nodded and blushed when Mustang winked at her and asked her name.

"Holly." She half-giggled. Roy used his charm once again to deceive. He almost felt bad, but he needed the intel.

"So Holly," He said her name slowly. "can you tell me if anyone else has requested this peticular file?"

"Well Colonel Mus-." He stopped her.

"Please Holly, call me Roy." Her blush deepened.

"Well Roy, no one has requested it yet." She smiled at him. Roy thanked her, took the file, and left his number, half to please the girl, the other half so she would call anytime someone breathed Kimblee's name. When he walked back around the corner, smoke filled his nose.

"What are you doing up here, boss?" Havoc asked as he fell into step beside Roy. Mustang faked a smile.

"I could work on the weekends if I want. It's not that odd." Havoc burst out laughing, and even Roy chuckled at his statement but Havoc noticed Mustang's laugh was forced.

"Sir, you alright?" Havoc looked at Roy who stopped and held up the manilla file.

"I'm fine, Lieutenant. I just hate having to work on the weekend. That's all." The Colonel continued to walk toward his office. Havoc didn't buy it.

"What are you working on?" Havoc kept in pace with him. Roy sighed and ignored him. "Let me help you."

Mustang stopped and turned to face Havoc. Havoc saw the Colonel play with his thoughts for a minute to come up with a lie.

"Look Havoc. This is something I have to handle on my own." Havoc raised his eyebrows.

"So Hawkeye doesn't even know what your up too?" Havoc countered with his potential blackmail. Roy realized what he was doing and lowered his voice.

"Havoc you will tell her nothing." He warned.

"If you tell me, I won't." Havoc sang and laughed.

"Please Jean, just leave it." Roy pleaded, Havoc's smile dropped, Mustang almost never used his first name. Havoc saw Roy's mood shift in seconds. "I'll make your work life a living Hell, if you don't leave me the hell alone." Roy smiled. _Ha! Two can play the blackmail game._

"Or you could just tell me, and let me help. C'mon when do I ever ask for work?" Havoc put his hands together as if he was praying.

"Is that how you get girls to go on dates with you Lieutenant? Oh please, please, please go on a date me! " Roy laughed and mocked his stature as Havoc's face turned sour. He turned and began to walk down the hallway. "What?" Roy yelled. "You don't want to help me anymore?" Havoc didn't even turn, Roy felt bad for hurting his feelings, but didn't regret it because it got Havoc off of his back. For the time being anyways. Mustang walked through the park on the way back to his townhouse. He briefly stopped to take in the beautiful sites and smells. It was just about winter but it hadn't turned off cold yet. It was still just chilly. He breathed in deeply and continued home.

* * *

_Good grief. _Mustang sighed as his spread out Kimblee's criminal record. Even before the military, Kimblee had, had multiple run ins with the law. _Burglary, arson, sexual assault, assault with a deadly weapon… how did this guy even get into the military. _Roy sat don't the file and walked over to the kitchen. He pulled the scotch out of the cabinet and looked in the sink for his glass,

"Where the hell did my glass go?" Roy said aloud to no one. He looked around the kitchen and saw it sitting on the edge on the counter close to the living room. "Hmmm. I could of swore I put you in the sink." He said to the glass as he walked over to pick it up. He stopped half way and laughed at himself. _Ha. There's something wrong with me. Talking to inanimate objects and thinking I did something that I didn't. _

_With that thought he poured himself another full glass of liquor._

* * *

**A/N: Hmm I like this one. Its foreboding it seems. R&R**


End file.
